DaytonDailyNews.com

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — They've seen the Springfield library in Nebraska and the world's only Corn Palace on the way to Springfield, S.D.

On Tuesday, Dec. 30, three friends will find out what Springfield, Ohio, has to offer on their ninth stop of a 16-Springfield tour to raise money for neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer.

Avi Zollman, of Washington, D.C., Shoshanah Schein of Philadelphia and Sarah Hendel of New York left Omaha on Christmas and will visit 16 different Springfields on their nine-day road trip.

The idea blossomed from a conversation Hendel and Schein had on a road trip a few years ago, said Zollman.

"They got to talking about what the most common place name in the country was," he said.

They thought it might be Springfield, but later found out that, although there are more than 30 Springfields across the U.S., it isn't the most common. The conversation came up again in November.

"I thought that would be a funny road trip for someone someday to do and six weeks later we kind of hit the road," said Zollman.

The trio plans to hit Springfields from Nebraska to New Hampshire and will likely be in town by 5 p.m., said Zollman.

He was not sure where they would be, but they will display a banner from Band of Parents, the organization their trip is supporting, he said.

"We all felt a little bad about the notion of taking a road trip that's entirely frivolous," he said. "It'd be fun but it doesn't really contribute anything valuable to the world."

Band of Parents is an organization of parents of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that affects about 650 children in the country each year.

Because of its rareness, there is not much support for research on neuroblastoma and new treatments or possible cures, according to the group.

The banner lets the residents of each Springfield — and anyone else the travelers run into on the open road — know where they can go to find more information and possibly help with a donation of $10, said Zollman.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0373 or mgildow@coxohio.com.